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I can’t believe this kid is about to graduate high school! I can remember the first time I met his mother; she was still carrying him. Now he is practically grown into a fine young man. Congratulations Lupe!

I was so honored to be able to help SYP Photography with this wedding a few weeks ago. It was such a beautiful day. I loved the whole theme of this western wedding. Boots and mason jars and yes, guns (unloaded, of course). But I have to say, what I loved most was that instead of a unity candle or sand, this couple created their brand. They placed their brand on a rough cut block of wood, to hang in their home. A symbol of their union and commitment to each other. And to top it all off, they specifically asked for a picture of their rings laid on the Bible. God has plans for this couple. I can see it. I pray that he blesses them with love, life and happiness.

When investing a lot in pictures, the last thing you want is your family to have fake looking smiles. Rather, you want your images to capture their true smiles, laughs and expressions. So how do you encourage that while getting ready amongst all the stress and bribery? Here are some do’s and don’ts to help.

1 – Don’t get frustrated or angry with your family while preparing for the shoot. When that happens, it is very difficult to get anyone in the mood to have a laugh while their picture is being taken.

2 – Don’t get in the way of the photographer unless they ask for your help. Many times the parent telling their kids to “look at the camera and smile” invokes a forced grin. Let the photographer work with your kids to get them laughing and looking at the camera.

Trust your photographer to work with your family and make their magic. It will be easier for you and much more fun for the group!

One of the best ways you can improve your photography is to learn to understand light. Most beginners don’t know this, but the best time of day to shoot pictures is early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The sun is softer and illuminates your subject straight on, which helps avoid dark under-eye circles. It is also my favorite time of the day to shoot. Shooting in the middle of the day casts deep shadows under the eyes and nose and the available light is much harsher. Shooting in the shade is another way to escape harsh light and shadows because it creates an envelope of totally even lighting. Point your subject towards the light as opposed to the shade.

When shooting indoors, be as close to a window as possible, then place your subject in a position where their face is getting the best possible light. This usually means they are facing the light source. If there is a light directly above their heads, have them step back a few feet so the light hits them from an angle (minimizing shadows) rather than right over their heads.

Remember when you are shooting at night that your flash can only reach a few feet. In point and shoot cameras this is generally only about 5-10 feet. Make sure you are within the flash’s reach of your camera otherwise the flash will have no affect on the picture.

Camera phones seem to have taken over the point and click camera industry these days, and it’s no wonder why. The high quality images combined with the convenience of your camera, social media, email, and so many other useful tasks all in one device, I rarely see people with point and click cameras anymore.

One of the great things about using a camera phone is the option to edit your photos right from your camera. Today we’re sharing a few widely used apps that you might find useful for your everyday shooting! Most of these are compatible with all phones, and many of them do multiple tasks, not just what they are listed for.

You know the drill, you’re at your child’s High School graduation, about to snap a picture of your kid and just as you push the shutter button a young teenage boy jumps into the background of your photo and totally bombs it! Watch for photo bombers in big crowds.

2 – Trees

Trees are a great addition to any photo, depending where they are placed in the composition. If you want your subject to stand by the tree, place them next to the tree, not directly in front of it. Having a big trunk coming out of their head can look terribly awkward!

3 – Awkward backgrounds

You need to update your profile picture and happen to be in the bathroom fixing your hair. You snap your own “selfie” and love the photo! Later looking back you realize that the bathroom hand dryer and feminine napkin dispenser also made it into your image. Uh-oh! Trash that one!

4 – Don’t shoot from low angles

Unless you really love the look of double chins, hold your camera above your eye level when shooting yourself, or above your subject’s eye level. This helps to thin out the face of the subject whereas shooting from below the chin puts more emphasis on the extra baggage commonly referred to as a “double chin”.

5 – Avoid shooting in direct sun

Contrary to popular belief, shooting in the direct sunlight isn’t the ideal place for lighting. It causes your subjects to squint and also creates harsh shadows under their eyes, nose and chin. Instead, look for a shady spot that is still evenly and well lit. Your subject will have a nice evenly lit face and much less squinting. Way more appealing and professional picture!

6 – Hold the camera still

Especially if you are shooting in low light situations, it’s important to hold the camera very still when shooting. Any movement from your hands can cause your photo to turn out blurry.

7 – Avoid dark situations

When you shoot in a low light situation and your not using a flash, your shutter speed will slow way down in order to get enough light on the subject. That slow shutter speed can be the reason for blurry photos. Always choose the most well lit area possible for the best quality picture!

When storing your old photos, you want to be sure they will last for decades without damage. Here are a couple of tips that may affect the aging of your photos.

The main elements that can be damaging to your photos are light, moisture, and temperature. When storing old photos, find a place that is dark, dry, and keeps low temperatures. If photos aren’t protected by the elements in this way, they could suffer from quicker deterioration.

When storing in boxes and even photo books, look for albums or boxes that say they are acid free or archival safe. If not, they can emit gases that may damage your photographs over time.

Custom frames are safer than “off the shelf” frames. Even when purchasing in a photography store, if you buy a frame off the shelf, you could be buying one that isn’t protected with acid free processing. Watch for labels that say “acid free”, or ask the store owner which frames off the shelf will be safer for your photos. UV filtered glass will also protect your images and give them better longevity.

Taking pictures of your kids playing sports can be a really fun activity for both the athlete and the parent. However, it can also be very challenging if you don’t have the right set up with your camera. Here are a few recommendations to help you get the best shots of your kids.

When available, use a long telephoto lens. If your camera can switch lenses and has a long lens, this is a great option for capturing the action as if you were right next to your athlete.

Another tip is to shoot in the daylight for high shutter speeds and sharper images. Images shot at night or indoors can easily have motion blur because of the low light.

Cloudy days are better than sunny days. Does this sound off? It’s true! Clouds create a filter over the sun’s rays and so there are no harsh shadows. The lighting is more even all around.

Also, if you are shooting with your camera phone or a point and click, find out if you have digital zoom or optical zoom. Optical zoom will take much higher quality pictures than digital zoom.

If your child’s sport is an indoor only sport, like gymnastics, then bump up your ISO to get more light and have less blurry pictures.

And if all else fails, hire a professional!

I’ve also added a few more images that have already been taken to my art album.

How many of us all have these handy smartphones with loads of precious pictures we have taken of our kids, friends, and family? I know that’s got to be about 65% of the population. Now how many of you have had to delete these precious photos to save memory or lost them because you had to upgrade etc. And you never printed these photos because you didn’t know how or didn’t have the time or equipment. I know a lot of us have had this problem.

Well I have recently learned of a company called GrooveBook.

For only $2.99 per month, this app allows you to upload your images. They print them into a book and send this book with up to 100 photos each month. Shipping is free and the photos in your book are perforated so you can tear them out and display them or give them away. It sounds a little to good to be true, right? A book of 100 of your photos, printed and shipped to you for only $2.99 a month? Well guess what? I’m gonna try it out for you and when I get my book; I’m gonna show it to you and tell you what I think about it. So, if you’re a little bit skeptical, you can see whether or not it’s worth it. If you’d like to go ahead and try GrooveBook for yourself, you can find it easily in your app store.

Today I’m gonna leave you with a couple of images I took with my GoPro yesterday. If you haven’t heard of a GoPro, well, wakeup. They are the hottest little cameras on the market. With the ability to take stunning videos and photos AND they come with a standard underwater housing for less than $500; there is no reason they shouldn’t be a hot ticket item.

If you are interested in purchasing my art, you can find it for sale through the following link. Thanks!